Coronavirus Guidance

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Coronavirus Guidance

The NHS in Milton Keynes and Public Health England (PHE) have put in place measures to ensure the safety of all patients and NHS staff while also ensuring services are available to the public as normal.

Some UK providers such as high street pharmacies and private healthcare providers offer COVID-19 antibody testing for members of the public. The test involves taking a fingerprick blood sample. The laboratory tests are CE marked and safe for use on blood drawn from the vein by a healthcare professional, but have not yet been validated by the manufacturer of the test to be used with a fingerprick blood sample.

It’s very important for people at home to be able to understand the reliability of the result and what it means for them. A positive result may not mean a person is immune or if they demonstrate immunity now, or how long this will last.

The Government strongly advises members of the public or organisations who have purchased these tests and received antibody results to continue to follow the Government’s advice whatever the result of the test. The Government is contacting providers of the antibody testing services and the laboratories running these tests to ask them to temporarily stop offering these tests for sale until the regulatory and safety concerns have been resolved.

Guidance has been producedby Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) for members of the public, patients, professionals and industry around the COVID-19 tests and testing kits. This includes information on how they work, the different types of tests and the specifications manufacturers need to follow.

Everyone is being reminded to follow Public Health England advice to:

· Always carry tissues with you and use them to catch your cough or sneeze. Then bin the tissue, and wash your hands, or use a sanitiser gel.

· Wash your hands often with soap and water, especially after using public transport. Use a sanitiser gel if soap and water are not available.